Fredrick C. Harris And Winfrey Harris: Respectability Politics

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Respectability Politics are limiting concepts that take away people's individuality and social values. This issue directly affects the African American community, within the entertainment business, politics, and everyday social interactions. Many actions and traits are scrutinized by members outside of the African American community, but are then imitated and seen as acceptable when done by other cultural groups. This has gone on throughout centuries and is still very prevalent in today’s society. Fredrick C. Harris and Tamara Winfrey Harris have a distantly different ways of addressing the topic of respectability politics in today's society. Mr. Harris identifies multiple examples of societal punishment for not following the codes of respectability, …show more content…

They are expected to conform to society's unwritten rules while simultaneously trying to be unique and embrace their culture. Winfrey Harris in her article "No Disrespect: Black Women and the Burden of Respectability” states that black women “…are required to be noble examples of Black excellence. To be better. To be respectable. And the bounds of respectability are narrowly defined by professional and personal choices reflecting the social mores of the majority culture—patriarchal, Judeo-Christian, heteronormative, and middle class” (Winfrey Harris). These thing confine black women to a small box because, if they are not white, middle class, straight men who rule over society, they will be treated as less than. Black women struggle the hardest with trying to fit into these narratives because they happen to be women and of a different race. These boundaries affect black women in everything that they attempt to do in their lives. Some may argue that if these codes are so difficult to follow that black women should refuse to abide by them, and still be able to live fulfilling lives without facing any consequences. Unfortunately, for black women in today’s current society that method would lead to isolation and brutal judgement from everyone, including the black community. Winfrey Harris points out the complexity of what is required of black women to not only survive in the …show more content…

Harris and Tamara Winfrey Harris analyze respectability politics in ways that reflect on a particular issue in the black community. Winfrey Harris focuses in on the struggles Black women face and the codes that they are meant to follow, while Harris provides not only the struggle, but alternative routes young men can take to avoid ridicule. Both of these definitions of respectability matter in today’s society because the youth is learning from the lessons of their elders. Older generations of the African American community are setting the precedent for how young black children should behave and how they should expect to be treated in a society that refuses to accept their culture. These two authors are trying to reach two different audiences in their writing. Tamara Winfrey-Harris take a women’s perspective and speaks to black women who struggle with maintaining dignity and respect within society. While Fredrick C. Harris targets young black men and educates them on how to combat the constant ridicule they receive based on their appearance and lack of privilege. Both authors want to inspire change, but each has their own specific method of creating awareness about respectability politics in

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